Method of preserving food products.



W. B. FENN. METHOD OF PRESERVING FOOD PRODUCTS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1901.

LMLQBfla Patented June 1, 1915.

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Witmeooao WILLIAM. B. TENN, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOB 'lQ THE WEDOJET COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF PRESERVING FOOD PRODUCTS.

lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain'new and useful Improvement in Methods of Preserving Food Products, of which the followlng .is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved ucts with a view to their efiective preservation and especially such as are put up in jars, cans and other vessels provided with covers to exclude the atmosphere and the bacteria therein adapted to bring about the deterioration of such product.

In carrying out my process some appa ratus is necessary, and to facilitate an understanding of the invention l have in the accompanying drawing shown somewhat conventionally the elements of such apparatus.

In said drawing, Figure 1 illustrates the assembled elements in elevation with parts broken out and parts in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on a large scale, of the vessel or jar and its sealing cover removed from the treating chamber.

In said drawing 10 designates a suitable chamber adapted to be made air-tight and having a suitable opening through which the vessel 11 containing the product to be treated can be passed. Said opening is pro vided with a suitable cover or door 10 whereby the chamber can be tightly closed. Suitably threaded through the top of the chamber is a screw 10 having a hand wheel at its outer end, and at its inner end a coverpressing head 10 containing a horseshoe magnet. The function of the magnet is to hold the vessel cover 11* (which is usually of sheet iron and provided with a suitable sealing material) above the upper end' of the vessel pending the treatment of the contents of the vessel, and the function of the presser head is to force the cover onto the vessel after such treatment and generally prior to the opening of the door to the chamber. The chamber 10 is shown as provided with a suitable gage for indicating the degree of rarefaction of the air in the chamber. ,The treating chamber 10 is also provided with an inlet vent equipped with a cup 10* containing an intercepting wad of steri. .cOl cotton; and the duct 5 connecting the cup with said vent is provided with a valve 5 by which Specification of Letters Patent.

rocess of treating food PI'Od' I steam generator.

rateatea June 1, ieia.

Application filed February 27, 1907. Serial No. 359,653.

said duct can be closed. And said chamber 1Q is provided with outlet vent equipped wlth a cup l0 containing an intercepting wad of sterilized cotton, the duct 7 connecting the cup with said vent being furnished with a valve 7 by which said duct can be closed.

12 designates a vacuum pump; 13 designates a chamber for containing a preserving or germicidal agent; and 14 designates a 4 The vacuum pump is connected with the chamber 10 by meansof a pipe 1 so that the pump can withdraw air from the treating chamber 10, and said pipe contains a valve 1 whereby it may be closed. The connection of the pipe 1 is preferably made in horizontal line with the top of the vessel 11 to facilitate the exhaustion of air from the vessel and its contents. haust of the vacuum pump is connected with the germicide chamber 13 by means of a pipe 2* and said pipe contains a valve 2 by which it can be closed. The germicide chamber 13 is connected with the treating chamber by means of a pipe 3 and said pipe contains a valve 3 by which it may be closed. The germicide chamber 13 is provided with a suitable gage at 13 to indicate the pressure therein and a suitable vent 13 through which the germicide is supplied thereto. This chamber is also provided with an air inlet vent equipped with a cup 13 containing sterilized cotton; and the duct 1 connecting the cup with said vent is provided with a valve 4:. The steam generator 14 is connected with the treating chamber 10 by means of a pipe 6 and said pipe is provided with a valve 6 by which it may be closed. As a germicide I use in practice a heated formaldehyde gas andfor this purpose I put under the chamber 13 a burner 14 to supply heat sufficient to transform the solid or liquid formaldehyde into a gas and to maintain it in that state while in use.

Assuming that the vessel 11 containing the product to be treated and its cover have been properly arranged in the treating chamber and the door thereof tightly closed, the germicidal chamber provided with gas, and the steam generator with steam, the process in the apparatus is described as follows: The valves 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are closed and the valves 1 and 2 opened. The vacuum pump is then operated until a vacuum (so 7 called) offrom five to ten inches is indicated The exoperated for a brief by the gage. The valves 1 and 2 are then treating chamber and the vesse therein. In this operation the germicidal gas is flushed out by the sterilized air admitted through the conductor 5*, the antiseptic cotton in the cup in this operation, preventing reinfection of the product with the induced atmospheric air. The valve 5 is then closed and the operation of the pump continued until the highest practical vacuum is obtained in the treating chamber, when the valves 1 and 2 are closed. If desired, valve 6 may then be opened admitting steam to .the treating chamber at about sixty pounds pressure, which heats and saturates the product, thus destroying any living germs escaping the action of the germicidal gas The valve 6 is then closed and the valve 7 opened allowing the steam .to escape from the chamber. In practicing my process I prefer to use the germicidal agent at a temperature of from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and sixty by the germicidal degrees Fah. but it can be used cold or of atmospheric@ temperature at the time and place of use.

With my process as I have described it above'I can treat any food product, and leave it innocuous or harmless as to any retained germicidal agent. Because the germicidal agent is applied in a gaseous form and while the product is in vacuo, it permeates the interstices of the product destroying any living germs or bacteria that might be present therein, but because the gas. is

quickly flushed out by a current of'sterilized air and, preferably, positively withdrawn of the germicide remains in the product.

' I can use-the gas treatment with or without the steam treatment. 4

I wish it understood that in referring to a gas I have not employed the term gas in the strict technical sense but rather to distinguish the form in which I use the germicidal agent from the liquid or solid state. As a matter of fact, the agents whlch I especially contemplate using are made by heating substances which are normally liquids orsolids, so that the term vapor would perhaps more accurately describe the agent if the terms were to be restricted to their strict technical meaning.

' After treatment. the vessel containing the product can "be closed either in mono or while in sterilized air, it being advantageous in any event that access of atmospheric air period or until the germicidal gas is thoroughly removed from the containedso that it can be held by suction pump, no appreciable traceto the treated products be prevented by ber and so that such air shall be excluded upon the removal of the vessel from the treating chamber. The sealing cover is therefore applied to the vessel 11 by turning the screw 10 to move the cover-pressing head downward before the chamber is opened. I

It is obvious that .my process can be used in the treatment of foods, whether they be of the so-called solid, liquid or mixed variety, and whether the liquids are designated as beverages. or not, the intendment of my claim, unless restricted by the prior art, reaching to the treatment of allperishable material, or materials, or such as are liable Y The sheet metal cap 11, as shown herein, is

best made of tinned or lacquered sheet iron the magnet temporarily off the jar during the gassing or steaming treatment. The inner side of the flange of the metallic portion of'the cap is furnished as in my said patent, with a sealing ring'll", and when the cap is pressed home on the jar, it should stick with sufiicient friction to resist withdrawal when the magnet is separated from it. My process can be carried out, however, without the use of the particular form of cap or the use of a magnet as a means for holding the cap.

s a specific example of the application of my process let the treatment of peas be taken. The jar is filled with freshly picked green peas and water. The jar and its contents with the sealing cap held off the jar is then properly placed in the treating chamher. The chamber is then vacuumized as far as practicable, and-steam is admitted.

, The steam permeates the peas and prepares them for the gas treatment. The chamber s then revacuumized and the hot sterilizmg gas admitted for a very brief period. The gas is then withdrawn, and the chamber flushed with sterilized air, in which the cap lsc losed on the jar so as to seal it. After this, the door of the chamber may be opened and the package removed Sterillzed air need not be admitted'when the gas 1s withdrawn. The jar could be closed, if desired, when the chamber is vacuumized in withdrawing the gas.

p In my process, it will be particularly ob-' served that the food produce is preserved nitrate m container in which the product is to go to the consumer, admitting a germicidal gas or vapor to the air exhausted interior of the said container, subjecting the product in the container. again to the action of a vacuum, and hermetically closing the container while preventing the admission thereinto 01E atmospheric or non-sterile air.

2. The improved method of treating food products when preparing them for market which consists in placing an open container holding the product and in which said product is to go to the consumer in a closed chamber, exhausting the air from the said chamber, admitting a germicidal gas or vapor to said chamber, again exhausting the gaseous and vaporous contents of the chamber and hermetically closing the container while preventing the admission thereinto of atmospheric or non-sterile air.

3. The improved method of treating food products and preparing them for market which consists in subjecting the product to the action of a vacuum while in the portable container in which the product is to go to the consumer, admitting a germicidal gas or vapor to the air exhausted interior of the said container, subjecting the product in the container again to the action of a vacuum, and hermetically closing the container while in oewwo.

4:. The improved method oftreating food products when preparing them for market which consists in placing an open container holding the product and in which said product is to go to the consumer in a closed chamber, exhausting the air from said chamber,

' admitting a germicidal gas or vapor to said chamber, again exhausting the gaseous and vaporous contents of the chamber, and hermetically closing the container while in 'UdGW.

- 5. In a method of treating a food product in preparing it for market, the following steps, to wit: subjecting the product in an open container in which it is to go to the consumer to the action of a germicidal gas or vapor, subjecting the product to the action of a vacuum, and hermetically closing the container while preventing the admission thereinto of atmospheric or non-sterile an;

' 6. In a method of treating a food product in preparing it for marlgget, the following steps, to wit: subjecting the product in an open container in which it is to go to the consumer to the action of a germicidal gas or vapor, subjecting the product to the action of a vacuum, and hermetically closing the container while in vacuo.

7. lhe improved method of treating a food product and preparing it for market, which consists in subjecting the product to the action. of a vacuum while in the portable container in which it is to go to the consumer, admitting a germicidal gas to the air exhausted interior of the said container, subjecting the product in the container to the action of a body of sterilized air for flushing out the major portion of the germicidal gas, subjecting the product in the container for the second time to the action of a vacuum to remove the residue of the germicidal gas 'not removed by the body of sterilized air and hermetically closing the container while preventing the admission thereto of atmospheric or non-sterile air.

VVILLIAM B. FENN.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN Fmcnnn, 'Amcn B. 0001:. 

